I don't believe our job as the artist, is to judge other artists work, because it only gets in the way of discovering what needs to spill out of our hearts onto the page. Same goes for reading critic reviews on our own work. In my opinion, if an artist is making work for someone other than themselves, they are in the wrong game, or lack an understanding of how creativity (not commodity) works. It doesn't sound like the writer of this book was writing for anyone but herself. That is a great thing to have in the world. Great art divides an audience and usually takes a long time to permeate the culture.
Personally, I leave reviews to the folks who don't have the courage to try something that is percolating deep in their heart. Because those are ruminations unchained from fear.
Super duper pumped to see where the mask animation stuff is going, looks freaking incredible and def stirs something inside me when I watch the snippets you post.
Haha, thanks for the comment, Darieus! I love that creative work incites emotion and reaction. I believe all reactions are valid, many also lead to great conversation. I definitely try not to judge those :) I think critique is absolutely necessary, furthers dialogue, and is above all, interesting.
That Vulture article is absolutely devastating -- the kind of piece you dread having written about your own work! But, at least in this case, it seems kind of justified. There's a lot of truth to the idea, too, that bad art opens the door to greater understanding of what works and what doesn't.
Love your ruminations Coleen! And I guess now I have another reason NOT to read A Little Life. The other being it's horrible, and I mean horrible book cover - https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91fRT+cJNzL.jpg
Thought provoking post Coleen!
I don't believe our job as the artist, is to judge other artists work, because it only gets in the way of discovering what needs to spill out of our hearts onto the page. Same goes for reading critic reviews on our own work. In my opinion, if an artist is making work for someone other than themselves, they are in the wrong game, or lack an understanding of how creativity (not commodity) works. It doesn't sound like the writer of this book was writing for anyone but herself. That is a great thing to have in the world. Great art divides an audience and usually takes a long time to permeate the culture.
Personally, I leave reviews to the folks who don't have the courage to try something that is percolating deep in their heart. Because those are ruminations unchained from fear.
Super duper pumped to see where the mask animation stuff is going, looks freaking incredible and def stirs something inside me when I watch the snippets you post.
Haha, thanks for the comment, Darieus! I love that creative work incites emotion and reaction. I believe all reactions are valid, many also lead to great conversation. I definitely try not to judge those :) I think critique is absolutely necessary, furthers dialogue, and is above all, interesting.
Haven't heard good things about A Little Life, either. Have you stumbled across Elia Cugini's article "The Good Little Pig Problem"? Similar topic (it even touches on A Little Life) and very interesting: https://www.gawker.com/culture/booktok-cant-stop-crying-over-the-good-little-pig
Wow that's a great article—it leads to two other interesting reads, Andrea Long Chu's https://www.vulture.com/article/hanya-yanagihara-review.html and the hilarious exchange between Yanagihara's editor and NY Review of Books' Mendelsohn https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2015/12/17/too-hard-take. The one beautiful thing, that comes of such work as A Little Life, are these lively conversations and inquiries, I guess. Maybe we need 'em after all.
That Vulture article is absolutely devastating -- the kind of piece you dread having written about your own work! But, at least in this case, it seems kind of justified. There's a lot of truth to the idea, too, that bad art opens the door to greater understanding of what works and what doesn't.
1000%!!!
I haven't trusted theBooker for years, although I read today that the selection is really good. Not willing to invest the time though
Yeah. At least they had the sense to not give it the actual award!
Love your ruminations Coleen! And I guess now I have another reason NOT to read A Little Life. The other being it's horrible, and I mean horrible book cover - https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91fRT+cJNzL.jpg
Don’t even get me started on that cover. I assume you know what’s happening there too 🤢 Can’t unknow
Nope, I have absolutely no idea what's happening there! Should I be worried? :)
Read that New Yorker article I linked to, search for “cover.” At your own risk
Checked it out. Oh well :). Now i know!